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USTA League: A Family Affair

Some doubles teams have been together so long that they start to feel like family.

Denise and Jenna Snyder actually are.

Members of the 3.5 18 and Over USTA League team from Pittsburgh, the mother-daughter combo of Denise and Jenna began three years ago when Jenna — now in college at the University of Pittsburgh — was still in high school. A few years later, and now competing together in league competition, the duo always seems to be on the same page on the court.

Last month, they competed at USTA Middle States Section Championships in New Jersey.

“For us, tennis is our thing,” said Denise, who began playing tennis 16 years ago. “There’s no drama. It’s never anything but fun between us.”

“If we get frustrated, it’s never at each other,” Jenna said with a laugh.

While they just recently began playing as an official team, Jenna and Denise have played together for years. The family has moved quite a bit over the years, with stops in Michigan, Florida and Pennsylvania. Throughout all of that, tennis has been a constant.

The chemistry the duo developed certainly shows on the court. At 5-foot-11, Jenna is a force at the net, and Denise has learned how to set her up.

Jenna also played singles for her team during Middle States Section Championships.

Denise and Jenna both said they love tennis because it’s a sport for life. They began playing years ago, and expect to continue playing for years and years to come. Through the USTA League Tennis format, they can continue it together.

“We pump each other up,” Jenna said. “I think we play better together.”

USTA League, the country’s largest recreational tennis league, has more than 330,000 players nationwide competing in match play, meeting new people and enjoying the camaraderie of teammates in one of four national divisions (Adult, Senior, Super Senior and Mixed Doubles). For more information on USTA League, visit the website.